Construction

Dimensions

Breadth: Beam

12.00
feet(3.66
m)

Depth

7.61
feet(2.32
m)

Length: Overall

60.95
feet(18.59
m)

Tonnage: Gross

0.00

Air Draft

To be confirmed

History

NELL was commissioned by Robert Cowan Robertson from George Watson (other yachts designed by him include THISTLE, VALKTIE 2 and 3, SHAMROCK for Sir Thomas Lipton, METEOR for the German Emperor, and BRITANNIA for Edward, Prince of Wales). NELL was built by Thomas Orr at Greenock along the lines of a Loch Fyne skiff, and launched in Greenock on 23 June 1887. The interior is highly decorated and sliding stained glass windows mask the portholes. Prior to 1982, she was often seen in the Falmouth area as she was owned by Dion Erasmus and was moored off Flushing. In 1982, NELL was the subject of a television documentary film by Lawrie Emberson and for a time formed part of the display of vessels at St Katherine's Dock, London. She was owned for a time by Neil Gamble of Teignmouth and was often to be seen in the River Teign in the 1960s. At that time she had a large wooden deckhouse.

Sources

Old Gaffer's Association Member's Handbook and Boat Archive,1993Yachting Monthly: The Story of the Nell,pp714-6, May 1972

Key dates

1887

Built by Thomas Orr Jnr of Greenock for Robert Cowan Robertson

1929

Fitted with a two-cylinder paraffin motor

1960s

Purchased by Neil Gamble of Teignmouth

1967

Registered at Lloyds as a yacht

1969

Purchased by Edward Bonel who sailed her from Teignmouth to London. She was hit by a squall, losing her topmast Her pumps failed and she was forced into Poole for repairs,

1969-1971

Renovation to her original condition

1970s

Owned by Hugh Lloyd-Jones and based in Dartmouth where she took part in the Old Gaffers Race and later was based at Mylor Bridge

1977

Sold to an unknown purchaser

1982

Took part in a television documentary film as one of a display of vessels at St Katherine’s Dock, London

1990

Cockpit enlarged

1990s

Purchased by David Stabb

1995

Won the Seafile Trophy for the oldest vessel at the Falmouth Classics Rally